| Global cruise bosses thank Australia

CEOs and MDs from the world’s
leading cruise lines have visited
Australia this week to promote
the remarkable growth in local
business.
IT’S been a big week of appreciation and
anticipation for the heads of Cunard, Holland
America, Seabourn and P&O Cruises World
Cruising, who each called into Sydney to sing
the praises of the prosperous Australian
market.
On top of thanks from Peter Shanks (p.1)
were a schmooze with Stein Kruse (CW Feb 28)
and a ‘hello’ from Carol Marlow.
UK-based Marlow, managing director of P&O
Cruises World Cruising, sailed from Brisbane to
Sydney aboard Oriana, quizzing passengers
and ‘Ten Pound Poms’ about their opinions of
the vessel.
She said 22% of the passengers were
Australian, which was in line with the
company’s latest figures.
Cruising] passengers are Australian; in 2011, it
was 11%. And in Europe, we’ve seen a 5%
increase year on year,” Marlow said.
Arcadia, arriving next month, will be onethird
full of Australians, both inbound and
outbound, she said.
Australian repeat rates are also on the rise,
up from 20% in 2011 to 34% in 2012.
“So we’re seeing loyalty building, which is
great, and Australian past passengers are
booking earlier than people in the UK,”
Marlow said.
A couple of days later, the aptly named Kruse,
CEO of HAL and Seabourn, came to town to say
that growth in Australia had “taken off almost
exponentially”, particularly for cruises
departing Sydney but also for outbound clients
to Alaska, Asia and South America.
“Holland America Line, up until a few years
ago, was essentially a North American product
with very little contribution from other
countries, and today that number has grown
to 30%, and Australia is the largest source
market outside of North America; and also, for
Seabourn, Australia is the largest source market
after North America and the UK,” he said.
“The fact that we now have two Holland
America ships here, and Seabourn Odyssey
sailing out of Australia and New Zealand next
year, speaks volumes for our belief in the
Australian market.”
According to Kruse, the penetration rate in
Australia could rise as high as 4%.
“Growing a new market is exciting, and
there’s probably another 300,000 potential
customers in Australia who haven’t discovered
cruising yet.
“If we continue to get the benefits here, we
will assess sending more ships more often,”
Kruse concluded.